A Public will campaign seeks to understand the multiple factors already at work in communities, then builds on existing efforts by making previously unseen connections.

Sep 19 Workshop #1: History & Vision

First in a series of workshops intended to keep stakeholders informed and engaged, this included TBCAC leadership, staff and board members; community members, children’s advocates (who we call our ‘Ambassadors’) and the Public Will Campaign Core Team. This was our opportunity to be introduced, bring everyone up to date on our progress and set a vision for the future of the Campaign.

Timeline of events to chronicle the history and honor the contributions of so many people!

We began with a presentation of the shift to a Public Will Campaign to build on the efforts that had been ongoing for a decade. To honor the dedication to our cause and detail the work that had been done during that time, we asked the participants to edit and add to a timeline document that we’ll use to chronicle the Campaign as we move forward.

Introduced by Denise Busley, the group heard a comprehensive history of TeamZero and the efforts that have been completed to build awareness and educate members of our community.

We then asked members of our Core Team to introduce themselves to the participants, share their experience and intended contributions to the Campaign, and answer questions. For those members of the Michigan State University staff and administration who will also contribute to this campaign but were unable to attend in person, we provided an overview of their expertise as well.

We discussed the ongoing efforts of MSU Communications students to describe, in visual and narrative terms, what A World Without Abuse would look like (note: our third workshop, scheduled for Friday, April 26, 2019 will be a live link to the third class presentation of these amazing projects).

Preliminary Public Will Campaign phases and deliverables

We reviewed the results of an exercise intended to provide an overview of the Campaign’s potential trajectory in four phases: Research & Discovery, System Mapping, Campaign Planning and Launch. Any project of this duration must be designed to change over time; these preliminary assumptions are intended to depict a snapshot in time, giving our stakeholders a general idea of potential Campaign deliverables at the outset.

Next, we introduced the Survey being drafted by the Public Will Campaign Core Team and the Office of Survey Research at MSU. Intended to measure community values with respect to children, the survey has two sections which each participant will be asked to gauge:

How important are these things to you in your life?

Not hurting others

Standing up for those who cannot stand up for themselves

Being respectful and courteous in interactions

Being honest with others

Respecting the flag, the military, and other American Institutions

Participating in teamwork whenever possible

Showing compassion to those in need

Treating others as one would like to be treated

Continually learning and growing spiritually

Continually learning and growing intellectually

Adhering to religious principles

Taking personal responsibility

Respecting authority

Being a good parent, grandparent, aunt and/or uncle

Being modest in your relations with others

Trusting your gut above all else

Following the law and respecting those who enforce it

When choosing a community in which to live, what matters the most to you?

It's a good place to raise children

There are opportunities to participate in social events and activities

People in the community are generally friendly

People in the community respect each other’s privacy

People in the community watch out for each other

Availability of cultural activities such as museums, festivals, concerts, etc.

Availability of good paying jobs

Availability of organized recreational activities for children and youth

Availability of parks, open spaces, and other outdoor activities

Overall appearance of homes, businesses, and other buildings

Overall cost of living

Overall safety

Quality of local schools

Quality of police and other emergency services

A close-knit community

Help is available

Finally, we involved the participants in a facilitated Systems Thinking sprint, asking them to help us visualize “What would A World Without Abuse look like?” In this interactive session, we asked them to work backwards from the present day: some people can’t even imagine what that world might look like. To help us, together, to build a vision of the future that our Campaign is designed to impact.